Teenage Wasteland
by Tracy Space Cowgirl
Summary: Clark was the last person Chloe expected to see in Metropolis that summer. Set in between Season 2's Exodus, and Season 3's Exile.


Teenage Wasteland  
By Tracy (**lunarknightz**)

Rating: PG  
Spoilers: Set in the middle of season 2 and 3- between "Exodus" & "Exile".  
Summary: Clark was the last person Chloe expected to see in Metropolis that summer.  
Disclaimer: I don't own Smallville, and if I did, suffice it to say, the show would be different. Yes.

* * *

"Chloe!" Iris exclaimed as she entered the _Daily Planet_ lunchroom, tossing her brunette hair over her shoulder. "You simply have to come with us!" 

Chloe looked up from her copy of _Time_. "Who? What? Huh?"

Iris was one of her few friends at the Planet this summer. She had no trouble fitting in when she was one of the high school interns, but with her sudden and remarkable ascension to junior columnist, Chloe was caught between worlds. Most of the interns resented her, especially the ones she'd worked alongside last year. The majority of the Senior Staff regarded her as inferior, and wouldn't even notice when she spoke up during staff meetings.

Iris laughed. "Lighten up, Sullivan!" She grabbed _Time_ out of Chloe's hands. "You've got the rest of your life to be boring and serious! Now is the time that we live it up! It's time to party."

"Party?"

"A bunch of us…" Iris flipped through the magazine. "Are going clubbing tonight. You actually read this stuff? Honestly, Chloe, would it kill you to pick up a copy of _People_?"

"Clubs aren't my thing."

"And acting like a senior citizen before you turn twenty one is?"

"You aren't going to give up on this, are you?"

"Nope."

Chloe sighed. To be honest, clubbing was the last thing that she felt like doing. She'd been in a funk, depressed for most of the Summer. Here she was in Metropolis- Chloe's most favorite city in the whole world, with a byline in the Daily Planet, just like she'd always dreamed of. Yet she wasn't happy. She couldn't call up Clark and squee over how awesome it was to be working at the Planet- their friendship was on the rocks even before he fled Smallville. Her relationship with Lana wasn't any better- they'd perfected avoiding one another while living in the same room. Pete was the only one still speaking to Chloe, and he'd gone on some sort of Outward Bound summer program, and could only be contacted by snail mail.

And Chloe had the added bonus of Lionel Luthor constantly on her heels- wanting the dirt on Clark that she'd promised to give. As if she had much information on what made Clark so special. As if she really wanted to sell him out. She'd made the deal when she was hurt, and angry. Now she wasn't as hurt, wasn't angry. Instead Chloe was disgusted with herself- for selling out.

It was just hard…to be happy.

She thought about going to the club. Her cousin, Lois, was always babbling about how fun it was to go out clubbing, about how you could pick up all the hottest guys at the clubs, and how they played the best music. Clubs weren't exactly Chloe's speed, and she could very well feel miserable and out of place. Yet, it had to be better than feeling miserable and out of place in her own room.

"I guess…I'm in. Just let me call my Dad and let him know I won't be home until later."

"Tell him you won't be home tonight. You can crash at my apartment tonight."

"You sure?"

"Totally."

Chloe smiled. "Sounds great." She looked down at her outfit- a brown pant suit paired with a white button-up shirt. "What am I going to wear?"

Iris chuckled. "You can borrow something of mine."

"Are you sure you aren't my fairy godmother in disguise?"

"Now you'll never know, will you?" Iris said with a wink.

* * *

If she was Cinderella, then her ball gown was a bitch. 

Chloe's outfit wasn't exactly a ball gown- in fact, it was rather far from it. Iris had picked out what Chloe should wear- taking an outfit from her closet and declaring that it was "club chic". The outfit did flatter her, but it was as uncomfortable as hell. The shiny metallic red halter top she borrowed felt cold and a little itchy against her chest, and the black leather skirt that matched it was practically microscopic. Chloe was sure if she moved the wrong way she'd end up revealing her entire butt to the world. A postage stamp, she thought, might cover more than the skirt.

The guys in the group, fellow workers at the Planet, seemed to appreciate the sight. A couple of the guys- Jimmy, a rather nerdy type who was actually wearing a bowtie to the club; and Ralph, who seemed to hold Joey Tribbiani as a role model for picking up women, had been throwing themselves at her all night. Jimmy and Ralph had gotten her drink after drink. She'd had six cappuccinos before she switched to Red Bull.

Her head was pounding- an aftereffect of a caffeine overdose, she was sure. It was later at night, and the group had begun to break up- a few, including Jimmy, had gone home. The staffers who remained had paired off members of the opposite sex and were grinding and getting jiggy with it on the dance floor. Chloe sat at the bar, nursing her fifth Red Bull. She was ready to go, but Iris had found a cute blond guy to dance with, so Chloe had no choice but to wait for Iris.

The music switched to an upbeat number, and Chloe found herself bopping along with the beat, her head nodding in time with the music. Chloe half laughed, half groaned when she realized what she was doing. "I look like a cast off from an old SNL skit." Chloe muttered to herself. She shrugged and pulled herself up from her seat at a plastic coated table near the ball. "Time to live a little, Sullivan." Chloe walked towards the dance floor and lost herself in the music, dancing and twirling with the beat.

He couldn't take her eyes off of her.

He'd been furious when he first saw Chloe. She'd come after him. She was here to find him, to drag him back to Smallville. How dare she. She had no right…there was no place for Chloe Sullivan in Kal's fast paced life. She meant nothing to him now.

Kal had relaxed a little when he realized that Chloe was not here for him. She didn't even see him lurking over in the shadows of the club. Chloe was busy holding court, laughing and yakking with a group that she was obviously here. It was a coincidence, just a coincidence, that out of all the nightclubs in Metropolis, she chose to come to the one he frequented.

Still, he couldn't tear his gaze from her.

Her outfit….was like nothing he'd seen her wear before. Chloe had never been as conservative in dressing as Lana was, yet she never seemed to bear an excessive amount of skin. Her outfit tonight left most of her back bare, and the extreme shortness of her skirt, combined with the tall boots she wore, made her legs look extremely long. Now she was on the dance floor, and with every move Chloe seemed to sparkle and shine, like a beautiful and bright star.

Kal toyed with the idea of going over and dancing with her, imagining the surprise on her face when she saw him. He'd sent a Red Bull over to her earlier, and had laughed when Chloe looked right at him and failed to see him in the shadows of the club.

He grew a little concerned when a beefy biker guy came up towards Chloe and started to dance with her, growing closer and closer to her. The biker's tattooed arms were wrapped around Chloe, almost grinding with her. When the song changed, he didn't let go, but continued to hold Chloe in his arms. Kal felt his anger grow, and he gripped the table so hard that a corner of it broke off. "Cheap crap." He said to no one in particular.

When Kal looked back up, he saw the beefy guy guiding Chloe towards the far reaches of club, close to the back door. He sprung into action, carefully weaving through the mass of people on the dance floor.

"I…I'm here with someone." Chloe said, trying to escape the biker's grip. "He won't be happy if I'm gone, trust me."

"You're with Hank now, lady." The biker responded, drawing her closer. "You'll shut the hell up if you know what's good for you."

Chloe jerked and tried to twist away from him, to no avail. He pulled her out of the side door of the club to the alley outside. "Shut up, bitch." Hank growled as he hit Chloe in the forehead, knocking her out.

"Get your filthy hands off of her!" Kal exploded as he descended upon the biker in fit of fury. The biker's bulky strength was no match for Kal's super strength, and Kal took the biker down with little resistance. "Jackass." He muttered as the biker sunk to the ground.

Kal turned his attention to Chloe, who had sunk to the ground and was lying in a puddle. He lifted her up off the ground into his arms. Chloe didn't have a purse with her, or any I.D., so he couldn't figure out where in Metropolis she was staying. Taking her home to Smallville was not even an option he wanted to consider. He would take Chloe to his apartment tonight, and in the morning he'd drop her off at the Daily Planet.

* * *

Chloe felt as if she'd been hit with a bulldozer. Her head ached, and her eyes felt like they were filled with cement. The bastard had the nerve to hit on her and then actually HIT her? 

Sudden and sheer panic filled Chloe's veins. What had happened after the biker hit her? Was this his apartment? What had he done to her while she was sleeping? What was he planning to do to her?

Chloe screamed, and forced her eyes open.

"Shhh. It's okay. You're safe." She heard his voice and recognized it as his face came into focus. "Clark!" She exclaimed, wrapping her arms around him. He chuckled slightly, and sat down on the bed beside her. Chloe began to cry, gut wrenching sobs of pain, fear, and relief. He pulled her onto his lap and let her cry.

"It's like you're my own personal superhero." Chloe said when her tears were spent, as she looked up at him through red rimmed eyes.

"I'm not a superhero, Chloe." He replied, lifting her off of his lap and onto the bed. "I'm anything but super."

"You just saved my life! Again! For goodness sake, Clark, do you have any idea what might have happened to me if that bastard still had me?"

"Your so called hero killed his future sibling and almost killed his mother." He growled, pacing around the room. "I still look so heroic to you?"

"Bad things happen, Clark."

"It's Kal."

"Kal? What in the hell are you talking about, Clark?"

"My. Name. Is. Kal." He growled. "It's the name my real parents gave me. It's who I really am."

"You found your birthparents?"

"You'd just love that, wouldn't you?" Kal chuckled. "I could be your front page story, then, couldn't I?"

"I'd love it because I know what it feels to be abandoned. Your parents gave you up at birth, Clark. They didn't just decide they were sick of you and leave. My mother did. Your parents gave you up because they couldn't take care of you. My mother left me because she didn't want me." She sighed. "It's me. I'm the problem, I was the problem. There's something fundamentally wrong with me…and I know it."

"What in the hell are you talking about?"

"It's the reason that I barely have any friends at the Daily Planet. It's the reason that I haven't been asked on a date in ages, the reason that I….I could never hold your heart like Lana does."

"Lana has nothing to do with this, Chloe!"

"It's not Lana." Chloe shook her head. "Don't think you're the only teenager in the entire freaking universe that has issues, Clark….or excuse me, Kal. I may be bubbly and snarky on the outside, but my heart breaks just as easy as anyone's does. You're not the only one stuck in your own personal hell at the moment, okay?"

Chloe slammed the door.

Kal was left alone in the bedroom. He flopped down on the bed, stretching out and looking at the ceiling. Kal stretched his arms out, and looked at his hands. Silently, he took off the red kryptonite ring and threw it to the floor.

Clark returned from the haze, the state of mind that he entered while wearing the ring. Remorse and regret filled his mind, and he opened his bedroom door, searching for Chloe.

She was in the kitchenette, holding a teapot and a couple of coffee mugs. "Tea?" Chloe asked in a small voice. "It's peppermint."

"Yes, thanks." Clark replied. "It's almost sunrise. If we go out onto the balcony, we can see the sun come up over Metropolis. It's got a really great view."

"Okay." Chloe handed Clark a cup of tea, and she followed him onto the balcony.

Both were silent as a moment, as they watched the first glows of dawn come over Metropolis.

Clark broke the silence. "You're right."

"No, I wasn't. There was no reason to bring Lana into this, and I'm sorry."

"I'm not the only one in the world that's going through shitty stuff right now. I wasn't being fair." He sighed. "I know I'm lucky to have my parents, and you, Pete, and Lana. But right now, I'm going through…some things, and I just can't….I can't be in Smallville. I need Metropolis. I need, "this" he said, pointing to the apartment. Don't ask me to go home."

"I wish you could come home. I know your parents really miss you, and even though we're not on the best of terms lately, I know Lana misses you too. Maybe, if I could just tell them where you are…"

"Don't." Clark growled. "Promise me, Chloe. It's a secret, and I need you to keep it that way."

"Okay." Chloe said with a sigh. "As your friend, I'll stay silent." She gazed out the window again. "I….I…will I see you again? I've really missed you."

"We're in the same city." Clark said in a small voice. "I'd imagine that our paths will cross again. And…I'm not really planning on moving anywhere for the time being."

"Good." Chloe said in a small voice. The sun was high up in the sky, bringing daylight to Metropolis. She looked down at her clothes. "I'll have to be at work pretty soon. Do you have a shower…or some clothes I can borrow?"

Clark nodded. "The bathroom's right off of the bathroom. Towels are in the closet. I'll get something for you to wear, and I can give you a lift to work on my bike."

"Thanks." Chloe nodded as she headed towards the bathroom.

A pair of black pants, and a t-shirt from a Good Charlotte concert (the back of the T-shirt indicated that the band had passed through Metropolis on tour earlier that summer) was laid out on Clark's bed, waiting for Chloe when she exited the bathroom. It was a little casual for work, but it was better alternative than the hoochie mama outfit she had been wearing.

He was waiting for her in the other room, curled up in a chair. He was dressed in leather, with sunglasses over his face. "Let's go." He said bluntly.

"You know the way to the Planet?" She asked as they rode the glass elevator to the ground.

"I think I can manage." He sounded almost bored.

"Are you okay, Clark?"

"Busy day. Got a lot to do."

Chloe shook her head. "What's with the personality switch, Clark? It's like you're two different people."

"Everyone has their secrets, Chloe. And call me Kal." He jumped on his bike and grabbed her hand. She hopped on the bike behind him.

They raced through the streets of Metropolis together, so fast that Chloe almost felt as if she were flying. The trip was over all too soon, as the bike came to an abrupt halt outside the Daily Planet.

"Thanks for the ride." Chloe got off the bike.

Kal drew Chloe close and kissed her, his lips devouring hers as his tongue flitted into her mouth. The kiss was passionate and hot, filled with desire. Chloe had kissed Clark before, but the kisses had never been like this. Almost as suddenly as it began, Kal pulled away from Chloe.

"Don't ever come to my apartment again." He said just before he sped away.

* * *

"Chloe!" Iris came running out of the Daily Planet. "I was so worried about you! When I got done dancing with Barry, I couldn't find you. Of course, now I see that it was just a booty call, but I was terrified that something awful happened to you! I'm so glad you're okay! And that certainly was a hell of a hunk you managed to dig up! Who was he?" 

"I did run into trouble at the club, some biker dude tried to make me his snuggle bunny. That guy- Kal. He saved me."

"So the damsel in distress gets the hunky knight in shining armor? It's like one of those novels with Fabio on the cover has come to life!"

"Cool your jets. Kal's not the Fabio type."

"You gonna see him again?"

"I don't know." Chloe bit her lip. "I hope so."

"Don't worry, I've got some _Cosmo_ articles that can help you. Totally. He will be your slave!"

Chloe chuckled. "I doubt that _Cosmo _can help me."

"Shock and Utter Horror!" Iris laughed. "_Cosmo_ can solve anything! It has the answer to all our problems."

Chloe looked back down the street, as if looking for Clark would suddenly make him appear. There was a mystery behind Clark Kent, one that fascinated her almost as much as his gorgeous blue eyes and killer smile. And whatever the truth behind Clark Kent was, she doubted that she'd find the answers in a magazine- not _Time, Rolling Stone, People_, and especially not _Cosmo_.


End file.
